Troopers said the van was traveling eastbound on FM 379 when it veered from the road and slammed into a tree. It appeared, troopers added, that Benham may have fallen asleep. Campbell told investigators he had been asleep when the wreck occurred and didn't know how the crash had happened.

Troopers said a lot of newspapers were piled in the back of the van.

A spokeswoman for the Houston Chronicle said Benham and Campbell were working as independent contractors for a newspaper distributor that contracts with the company. She said the men were on their route when the crash occurred.